Apparatus for reducing electric currents.



R. J. WARD.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1912.

1,085,393, Patented Jan. 2?, 1914.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR Z(/Q4AI s9 {7mm Pd flfl/Zm Z Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD J WARD, OF DTJ'NTON, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS Il'OR REDUCING ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

Application filed July 22, 1912. Serial No. 710,896.

ducing an electric current of high voltage.

to a similar current of low voltage whereby the high current either direct or alternating may be employed for ringing bells, running small motors, lightlng'low voltage lamps,

. and charging accumulators.

The principal object of the invention is to provide in the reduced or low voltage circuitan instrument provided with a relay switch that will control the current which This relay switch is provided in order thatwellmadedurable bells may be employed thereby eliminating poorly constructed bells which soon become disarranged or out of order. A well-made vibrating, bell should have platinum contact points, but the present cost of platinum is so high thatit does not justify its use upon bells so constructed that the platinum is destroyed during the use of the bells. now used are devoidof the platinum points and there is always more or less trouble with the bells on this account. lVith the present system there is no necessity to change the cheap bells now in use, but if a new installation should be made then the more durable bells as before described could be installed and the relay switch above referred to would prolong the life and usefulness of the bells.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of the system. Fig. 2 is a similar view of another form.

Corresponding and like parts throughout the specification are referred to by the same reference numerals.

The circuit of high voltage comprises a conductor 1 which is connected with a resistance coil 2 of theusual pattern. The high voltage circuit also includes a ground or return conductor 3, which is connected Consequently most bells .15 to the bar 13. Thus the charged with current which has been reduced and 3 in advance of thepoint of the connection between the conductor 1 and the resistance 2.

The circuit of low voltage comprises a conductor 5, which is connected with the resistance 2 at any desired point. The conductor 5 is also connected with a bell or other working element 6. From the bell 6 a conductor 7 leads to a terminal 8. This terminal is located in the path of movement of a key 9 which is preferably pivotally mounted in the usual manner or the said kev may be substituted by a push button of usual pattern. A conductor 10 connects the key 9 with the coil of a magnet 11. A conductor 12 also connects the coil of the said magnet with the return conductor 3 of the high voltage circuit.

A bar 13 is pivot-ally mounted at the end of the magnet 11 and is normally held away from the magnet by aspring 14 in the usual manner. This bar is connected by means of a conductor 15 with that end of the resistance 2 opposite the end thereof with which the conductor 1 is connected. The return conductor 3 is providedwit-h a terminal 16 which is located in the path of movement of the free end portion of the bar 13. A condenser 17 is connected with the conductois 5 and 10.

Any number of bells orv working elements 6 may be connected with this system and to give an example, it will be seen that a conductor 5 is connected at one end with the conductor 5 in advance of the bell 6 and at its other end connects with the hell 6. conductor 7 is connected at one end with the bell 6 and at its other end with a terminal 8. This terminal is located in the path of movement of a key 9, which in turn is connected by means of a conductor 10 with the conductor 10.

The operation is as follows: The conductor 1 is charged with a current of high voltage. Presuming that the key 9 is depressed and brought into contactwith the terminal 8, the currentflows from the conductor 1 through the resistance 2 when it is shunted. Part passes through the resistance over the conductor 5 and the remainder pass ing from the resistance alon the conductor ar 13 becomes by its passage through the said resistance. The current which passes along the conductor 5 is also reducedin voltage and as it passes through the hell 6, the said bell is operated. From the bell the current passes along the conductor 7 to the terminal 8, thence through the key 9 and along the conductor 10 to the magnet 11 which is then magnetized. This draws the free end portion of the bar 13 toward the magnet so that its free end engages the contact 16. Therefore the circuit between the conductors 1 and 3 is closed and the reduced current from the resistance passes along the conductor 3 and completes the circuit. At the same time the current from the magnet 11 passes along the conductor 12 to the said return conductor 3. As soon as the key 9 is released, and it moves away from the contact 8, the circuit or" the reduced current is broken and the magnet 11 becomes demagnetized whereby the tension of the spring 14 comes into play and the free end portion of the bar 13 is moved away from the contact 16. Therefore with this apparatus thecurrent is used only during the time that the bell is being operated.

Inasmuch as the current of high voltage is carried to the resistance 2 by the wire 1 should there be any back surge or current due to this resistance, this back surge will be taken up by the condenser 4 and short circuited between the conductors l and 3 with out passing through or injuring the resistance. Should there be a back surge of cur- .rent from the hell 6 or other working element, this back surge will be taken up by the condenser 17 and short circuited between tne conductors 5 and. 10, therefore the delicate parts of the bellas for instance the platinum points above referred to will not be damaged by excessive sparking as the current which is permitted to pass the hell or other worklng element is ust suiiicient "to cause the same to operate.

Tn Fig. 2 of the drawing, a modified form of the'arrangement hereinbefore described is shown indiagram. Tn this arrangement, the reduced current is carriedfrom the resistance 2 directly to the magnet .11 and from the 'magnet the current is carried to the arm 13. The arm 13 is provided with a lug 18 in the path of movement of which is located a contact 19. This contact is connected with the conductor 5 which corresponds with the onductor 5 hereinbefore described and which leads the current to the hell '6. The condenser 17 is connected with the conductors 5 and 3 as hereinbeiore described. The conductor 3 is provided with a terminal 20 and the conductor 7, which leads from the hell 6 is provided with a key 21. When the key 21 is depressed and brought into contact with the terminal 20, the current passes from the resistance 2 through the magnet 11 whereby the bar13 is swung and its free end is brought in contact with the terminal 16. The free end of the bar 13 is also brought into contact with the terminal 15 01 the resistance 2, therefore the remainder of the current which passes through the resistance is permitted to pass along the free end of the bar 13 to the terminal 16 and thence along the return conductor to complete the circuit. it the same time the current passes from the magnet 11 to the arm 13, thence along the lug 1S and contact 19 and along the conductor 5 to the hell 6. From the hell 6 the current passes along the conductor 7 to the key 21, thence through the terminal 20 and along the conductor 3 to complete the circuit. The bar 13 vibrates to synchronize the bell in which it is in series, thereby avoiding the necessity of using vibrating bells, as single stroke bells can be used and dust or oxidation of contact points do not affect them as in the present state.- O f course it will be understood that either vibrating or single stroke bells may be used.

in both forms of the system as hereinbetore described, the magnet and the pivoted arm cooperating therewith constitutes a relay switch.

Having described'the invention what is claimed as new is:'

Tn combination with an open circuit of high voltage, an open circuit including a working element adapted to be operated by a current of low voltage, a closer for the last mentioned circuit, a condenser connected with the last mentioned circuit between the working element and the closer, a resistance connected with the said circuits, a condenser connected with the circuit of high voltage in advance of the resistance, a relay switch connected with the circuit of low voltage and operated thereby and when operated adapted to close the circuit of high voltage.

In testimony whereof T affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD J. WARD. l Vitnesses decor; G'Swnnr, Tenn. LAMBERT. 

